Anyone even remotely engaged in Tottenham’s goings-on will have noticed a distinct drop in quality in the defensive line, which has surprisingly got worse since Jose Mourinho arrived in North London.
Under a manager hailed as one of the best defensive tacticians in the game, Vertonghen is a particular instance of a defender failing to adapt to the alternative tactics of his new manager. The Belgian has looked lethargic and often inexperienced for much of the 2019/20 season.
However, at the age of 32, Vertonghen is anything but inexperienced. Having played at Tottenham for around seven and a half years, he is one of the longest-serving players in the squad. Central defenders are often able to perform at the top level for slightly longer than other outfield players, but Vertonghen is perhaps becoming a liability for Jose Mourinho.
Vertonghen is often deployed as a left-back – a position he has excelled in for the Belgian national team and also for Spurs to some extent. However, mobility is a key trait needed in this position and Vertonghen is naturally losing this as age becomes a factor.
Considering his more central contributions to the team, you’d expect that a pairing with his compatriot Alderweireld would work to Spurs’ favour, but the duo are not often deployed together as a central defensive force.
Vertonghen clearly has his strengths as a wing-back, but tracking back to defend often asks a lot of the veteran Spurs man. Placing him next to Alderweireld could be the way forward for Mourinho, as the athleticism in this area is less demanding and Vertonghen has the experience to sort out his own positioning.
Of course, Mourinho is a spender and will be looking to bring in some fresh talent into the defensive line in the coming month. Not one position of the back four is looking solid for Spurs of late and some young energy in defence may be in the pipeline.
